Empowered Fertility

In this deeply moving episode of Empowered Fertility, Samantha Payne, co-founder of Pink Elephants, helps us unpack the truth about miscarriage- a heartbreakingly common event that’s often shrouded in silence- and why it’s so often misunderstood. Together, we explore the myths that minimise loss and the pain of disenfranchised grief — when your heart is breaking, but the world doesn’t see it. Sam shares her own story and the inspiration behind Pink Elephants, an organisation offering compassion, community, and practical support for those experiencing early pregnancy loss. This conversation is a gentle reminder that every loss deserves to be acknowledged, and every story deserves to be heard.

We’d love to hear from you, please contact us at:

 [email protected]

Contact Dr Devora Lieberman: www.drdevora.com.au or @dr_devora

Contact Claire Hall: www.authenticempowerment.com.au or @clairehallcoach

Looking for a Mind Body Fertility Group in Australia? Check out: 

www.authenticempowerment.com.au/mind-body-program

Episode Coaching Tools: www.authenticempowerment.com.au/podcast

Samatha Payne, the Pink Elephants www.pinkelephants.org.au

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pinkelephantssupport/

Instagram: @pinkelephantssupport

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@pinkelephantssupport

Tiktok: @pinkelephantssupport

Our sponsor, Sapyen – ‘The most accurate semen analysis’

https://www.sapyen.co/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you make life-changing decisions when your heart and the science pull in different directions? In IVF, every choice carries both hope and heartbreak so how do you decide when to keep going, change course, or let go? In this episode of Empowered Fertility, we explore the emotional and practical realities of decision-making in IVF.

Leigh Arthur shares her deeply personal journey from pursuing IVF with her own eggs at 47 to ultimately choosing donor conception. She’s joined by reproductive health researchers Dr Tessa Copp and Dr Michelle Peate, who unpack how information, hope, and emotion intersect when navigating fertility treatment choices. A conversation about evidence, empathy, and finding your own version of empowered choice. Claire and Devora then discuss the concept of hopeful pessimism balancing optimism with realism and how evidence, emotion, and self-compassion can guide fertility decisions. A conversation about clarity, courage, and the power of making choices that honour both your heart and the science.

We’d love to hear from you, please contact us at:

[email protected]

Contact Dr Devora Lieberman: www.drdevora.com.au or @dr_devora

Contact Claire Hall: www.authenticempowerment.com.au or @clairehallcoach

Looking for a Mind Body Fertility Group in Australia? Check out: 

www.authenticempowerment.com.au/mind-body-program

Episode Coaching Tools: www.authenticempowerment.com.au/podcast

Dr Tessa Copp’s paper ‘Your hopes can run away with your realistic expectations’: a qualitative study of women and men’s decision-making when undergoing multiple cycles of IVF’ Link

Our sponsor, Sapyen – ‘The most accurate semen analysis’

https://www.sapyen.co/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you keep showing up when life feels like it’s spinning out of control? In this episode of Empowered Fertility, journalist and TV presenter Leila McKinnon reflects on reporting and performing under the bright lights of television while quietly going through fertility treatment. She’s joined by HR leader Vesna Garnett, who shares insights on how workplaces can better support employees navigating treatment and loss. Vesna talks about how finding your “workplace tribe”  people who understand and support you can make all the difference. It’s an exploration into what it really means to stay present, connected, and human when work and fertility collide.

 

We’d love to hear from you, please contact us at:

[email protected]

Contact Dr Devora Lieberman: www.drdevora.com.au or @dr_devora

Contact Claire Hall: www.authenticempowerment.com.au or @clairehallcoach

Looking for a Mind Body Fertility Group in Australia? Check out: 

www.authenticempowerment.com.au/mind-body-program

Episode Coaching Tools: www.authenticempowerment.com.au/podcast

Our sponsor, Sapyen – ‘The most accurate semen analysis’

https://www.sapyen.co/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A candid look at the male side of fertility and the strength found in speaking up.

In this heartfelt episode of Empowered Fertility, we turn the spotlight on the often-unheard male side of the fertility journey. Journalist Mike Carabott opens up about the emotional and physical challenges he and his wife faced during treatment revealing what it’s like to navigate hope, heartbreak, and resilience from a man’s perspective.

He’s joined by Dr Sarah Catford, Melbourne andrologist and expert in male reproductive health, who helps unpack the myths, stigma, and silence that still surround men’s fertility. Together, they share a powerful message: fertility isn’t just a woman’s story it’s a shared journey of vulnerability, connection, and courage.

Dr Sarah Catford is an endocrinologist and andrologist at The Royal Women’s Hospital and Alfred Hospital in Melbourne. She completed a PhD in male infertility in 2021, which involved an NHMRC funded study on the health of ICSI-conceived young men. She is a post-doctorate fellow at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research where she continues her research interests in male infertility.

We’d love to hear from you, please contact us at:

 [email protected] 

Contact Dr Devora Lieberman: www.drdevora.com.au or @dr_devora 

Contact Claire Hall: www.authenticempowerment.com.au or @clairehallcoach 

Looking for a Mind Body Fertility Group in Australia? Check out: 

www.authenticempowerment.com.au/mind-body-program

Episode Coaching Tools: www.authenticempowerment.com.au/podcast

Mike Carabott’s book: ‘Strong Enough to Shatter’ will be published in the near future.

Our sponsor, Sapyen – ‘The most accurate semen analysis’ 

https://www.sapyen.co/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a world where fertility advice floods our feeds, it can be hard to know what and who to trust. Dr Lora Shahine, reproductive endocrinologist, author, and social media advocate, joins Empowered Fertility to unpack the power and pitfalls of the online fertility space. From algorithm-driven rabbit holes to the rise of misinformation, Dr Shahine shares how she uses her platform to bring credible, compassionate, evidence-based insight to a global audience. This conversation explores the balance between science and storytelling and how trusted voices can guide people back to clarity in the chaos.

Lora Shahine, MD, FACOG is a double board certified OBGYN and reproductive endocrinologist practicing at Pacific NW Fertility in Seattle. She is a clinical associate professor at the University of Washington and graduated with honors from Stanford University, the University of California at San Francisco, Wake Forest School of Medicine, and Georgetown University. Dr. Shahine is a speaker, researcher, and author of multiple books on fertility and miscarriage including best-selling ‘Not Broken: An Approachable Guide to Miscarriage and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss.’ You can listen to her Brave and Curious podcast, anywhere you listen to podcasts and find her reproductive health education content at her website www.drlorashahine.com

Instagram, YouTube, Tiktok, Podcast
www.drlorashahine.com

 

We’d love to hear from you, please contact us at:

 [email protected] 

Contact Dr Devora Lieberman: www.drdevora.com.au or @dr_devora 

Contact Claire Hall: www.authenticempowerment.com.au or @clairehallcoach 

Looking for a Mind Body Fertility Group in Australia? Check out: 

www.authenticempowerment.com.au/mind-body-program

Episode Coaching Tools: www.authenticempowerment.com.au/podcast

Our sponsor, Sapyen – ‘The most accurate semen analysis’ 

https://www.sapyen.co/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Dr Alice Domar, Harvard psychologist and pioneer in mind–body fertility, joins us to explore how stress, mindset, and compassion shape reproductive health. We discuss the evidence, the emotions, and the everyday tools that can help you feel more in control, hopeful, and connected on your fertility journey.

Alice D. Domar, PhD is a pioneer in the application of mind-body medicine to various health conditions. Her research focuses on creating innovative programs to help decrease physical and psychological symptoms associated with stress.

She is the Chief Compassion Officer and Director of Research at Inception, the largest network of infertility clinics in North America, a senior psychologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, and an associate professor in obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology, part-time, at Harvard Medical School. She is a practicing psychologist, specializing in cognitive-behaviour therapy with individuals and couples. 

Dr Domar has appeared on the Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Dateline NBC, CNN, PBS, and the CBS and NBC Evening News, to name a few. She went on tour with Oprah in the spring of 2004 and 2005 with the LLuminari team. She is the best-selling author of eight books, including the recently revised Conquering Infertility, and the author/coauthor of dozens of peer-reviewed scientific publications.

We’d love to hear from you, please contact us at:

 [email protected] 

Contact Dr Devora Lieberman: www.drdevora.com.au or @dr_devora 

Contact Claire Hall: www.authenticempowerment.com.au or @clairehallcoach 

Looking for a Mind Body Fertility Group in Australia? Check out: www.authenticempowerment.com.au/mind-body-program

Episode Coaching Tools: www.authenticempowerment.com.au/podcast

Dr Alice Domar resources: 

Inception (@inceptionfertility) 

The Prelude Network (@preludenetwork) 

Check out Dr Domar’s recently revised book ‘Conquering Infertility'

Our sponsor, Sapyen – ‘The most accurate semen analysis’ 

https://www.sapyen.co/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.